Speak Asia scam: HC slams police for clubbing cases

Mumbai: Expressing displeasure with city police for clubbing all cheating cases in the multi-crore Speak Asia online investment scam, the Bombay High Court today said by failing to file chargesheet in the case till date the agency is giving an impression that it is in connivance with the fraudsters.

Justice R C Chavan observed that it has been over a year since the scam was unearthed and case was registered by the city police's economic offences wing but till date charge sheet has not been filed.

"The agency must have till date collected over 10,000 pages in evidence. Then why no chargesheet has been filed? Why have you (EOW) clubbed all the cheating cases together? Each person's investment is different from that of another person's. By clubbing all the cases, the investigating agency is causing delay in filing charge sheet and trial," the court said.

The observations were made during the hearing of an anticipatory bail plea filed by one Ashok Bhairwani, a member of the All India Speak Asia Panelist Association. Bhairwani has been named as one of the main conspirators involved in duping several persons. However, in his bail plea, Bhairwani said that he too was a victim of the fraud.

Impressing upon the need to complete investigations quickly, Justice Chavan said, "Have speedy trials. What is happening to us? I am greatly disturbed because of this. Let the common man not carry the impression that you (EOW) are with them (accused)."

"By clubbing all the cheating cases and by flooding the chargesheet to such an extent that the trial will never see the light of day, the investigating agency is giving an impression that it is in connivance with the fraudsters in duping the common man," the court said.

Speak Asia, a Singapore based online survey company, is alleged to have cheated people of crores of rupees by promising them huge return in exchange for taking part and investing in its surveys. The EOW has so far arrested 13 persons in case.

According to police, over 20 lakh investors were duped in the Rs 2,600 crore scam.